Bedford Borough Council’s Budget Consultation

The Council has already made savings of £94million, and needs to find a further £23.5 million by 2021.

Last year, the Council invested an additional £4.4 million into social care to support our vulnerable adults. We anticipate that we will need to invest a further £4.0 million during 2018/19, as more people need care and cases get more complex.

The government has said that in order to help fund the growing care needs, councils can levy a further 6% Council Tax increase over 2 or 3 years. This is on top of the up to 1.99% we can otherwise increase Council Tax by.

Before taking decisions around how the Council will meet the care needs of local residents and the increase in Council Tax to fund it, we want to hear the views of Bedford Borough residents. We are consulting on increasing the adult social care Council Tax precept to help us meet rising care needs.

Cllr Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance said “In 2015 the grant we received from Central Government was £30.1 million. This is estimated to fall to just £0.9 million by 2021 even as more vulnerable adults require social care, and their needs become more complex. Please respond to the consultation, and give us your thoughts and views.”

Visit www.bedford.gov.uk/budget2018 for more information. There will also be hard copies available at the Customer Contact Centre and in our Libraries.

The deadline for responses is Friday 15th December and you can respond on our website, by emailing consultingbedford@bedford.gov.uk, or by writing to: Consulting Bedford, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP